Conscious Rider

‘Mindful Union Through Horses.’

Conscious Rider is a small boutique riding stables, with three well trained horses.  Teaching beginner and intermediate riding to children and adults in the English style, with some western.  We progress to bare back riding and dressage early; starting with an advanced classical seat (Sally Swift System) so you do not re-learn as you get more experience.  Along with superb horses and a covered arena we have 1000 acres to practice our skills, enjoying vibrant nature on the door step.

‘A mindful approach to riding horses’ where you will learn:

– Centered Riding – Sally Swift

– Beginner and Int. Dressage – The Baucher system, from the classical school of de la Guérinière

– Tacking up with empathy and common sense for the horses needs and then yours

– Grooming using natural horse wo’manships techniques

– Work with our own and the horses energy centers

– When Horses Choose – Mia Lykke Neilson.  This training system includes riding bare back

– Ground work

– Ranch maintenance

– Holistic approach to horse care using herbs where applicable

– Peaceful presence enjoying the horses in nature and learning to breath consciously and sit quietly

– Contemplating the horses and riding as a meditation tool

Groups and one on one.

 

LESSON PLAN (90 minutes)

 

GREETING: 

Bring to Presence:

‘A calm horse is not a dangerous horse’ – Mia Lykke Neilson .     Being a professional psychic Katharine uses this to sematically tune into the energetic centers of the horses and humans.  This helps clients to learn how to release blocked energy enabling their horse not to have to contact but expand, flow and be ridden with ease.   Spending a life time studying horses she learnt through them how to ground energetic triggers and blockages as this is how they tune into each other and even heal each other.   If more stress relief is needed the ‘Transforming Triggers’ method developed by Katharine is used to return the rider to a deeper stillness.  We include catching the horses (using Parelli method), grooming as a meditation, tacking up, using breath with awareness to return both horse and rider to a calm state. 

WARM UP:

Lunge horse – Work in hand (shoulder in) under saddle – walk, trot, (classical) stand, with and without lead rein (ancient horsewo’manship training.)

WARM UP REVIEW:

Get on the same page re: lesson goals and content based on how the horse and rider feel during the ride so far.

MAIN BODY OF LESSON:

Learning goal, using a mixture of methods of direct learning, achieving goals and creativity, as is appropriate.

LESSON REVIEW:

During a ride out on the 1000 acres we practice what was learnt and discuss a deeper clarity about what was learned during past and present lessons.  Asking student questions to ascertain students level of understanding of what they are learning and any questions.  Both horse and rider get to explore nature and experience riding in the wild, and as a result, have challenges to over come that they would not experience in the arena.

 

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CANTER depart, using leg yield. – Katja Ell

 

  • On a 20-meter circle, go to the right.  You can ride this part in the walk or sitting trot.  Canter up- and down- transitions are always best ridden from the sitting trot or walk.
  • Start spiraling inward until you reach the 10-meter circle at the center of the 20-meter circle.  Note that you are riding a linear line, not a leg yield, when you are spiraling inward.
  • Ride one round on the 10-meter circle.
  • Spiral out by leg-yielding to the left to come back to the 20-meter circle.
  • As soon as you reach the 20-meter circle, give the aids for the canter up-transition.  Ideally, this is somewhere on the ‘closed’ part of the circle where you have a fence/rails to help you with the transition as a visual boundary.
  • Ride one round of working canter on the 20 meter circle.
  • Transition into sitting trot for 1/2 to 1 round on the 20 meter circle.  Then prepare to spiral back into the 10 meter circle and repeat the exercise.

Repeat the pattern 3-4 times in each direction.  Enjoy!

 

Conscious Rider:

‘Learn to Ride Consciously with Lightness, Strength and Joy.’

‘Friendly, Trust based, 2-way Riding System.’